The Poor and the Foolish
by Zarely
Summary: She is a mystery. He has a secret. Begins in episode 8, ends later on... Probably going to be a one-shot. I'm bad at summaries... *Edit: Okay I'm going to continue it. Might just take me a little while to update.
1. Chapter 1

**'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do, nothing to lose  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you**

Three girls stared out over the ocean horizon from the top of a brine sprayed cliff. The sun setting before them set the sky on fire, changing the aqua to a fiery shade, matching the phantasmagoria spreading out before their eyes. A warm breeze gently caressed their sun kissed skin, sending the long strands of their hair into a twining dance. One of the girls smiled, closed her eyes and extend her arms out from her like a sun worshiper, taking in all the sensations the eve was presenting her, letting her body melt into the warm summer evening.

"It's so wonderful here," her friend said, sighing as she stared into blinding scene.

The others agreed quietly, unwilling to break the spell that sea had been casting. They stood quietly, breathing in the ocean mist, basking in the fiery light of the setting sun. The gulls cried out raucously and flew up agitatedly from the path behind them.

"Hey look, it's some chicks!" Their reverie was disturbed as three young men climbed up the surf path up to the cape.

"Wanna spend some special time with some locals, sweets?" said one, sidling up beside the smallest of the girls and placing an arm around her shoulder while his friends leered on.

She crinkled her face at the alcohol on his breath and pushed him away from her, "This is a _private_ beach. You don't belong here."

"Private," sneered the larger of the three boys, "does that mean we're alone?" He grinned at his catch.

The girls huddled close together. The warmth and sense of peace they had felt a moment ago replaced by cold terror. One of the boys reached out and grabbed the smallest girls arm and pulled her tight to him, "So tell me, what's pretty girls like yourselves doing out here all by your lonesome?"

"They're not alone."

The boy looked up from his prey just in time to receive a spiked purple urchin to his mouth.

A young boy stood on the top of the path a bucket heaping with spiked shellfish at his side and another of the urchins, aimed and ready to be fired, in his hand.

"Haruhi!" The girls chorused their rescuer's name.

The other trio on the bluff, however, were not nearly so happy to see the young host. "Why you little punk!" shouted the boy with the now bleeding mouth. He shoved the girl he had been holding into her friends and clenched his fists tightly. "You think you can get away with that, pipsqueak? No one does that to _me_ and gets away!"

Haruhi gazed at the three drudges, sizing them up as best she could and appraising the risks. She needed to distract the thugs long enough for the ladies to make their escape. She looked at the smaller one, the one that had accosted the smaller of the guests. If she tried to take him on, the other two would likely focus on the fight between them, giving the girls trapped on the bluff the time they need to escape. She was not, however given a choice on which one to fight. The one she had thrown the urchin at, the largest of the trio, was advancing on her, fist clenched and anger burning. "I'll teach you a lesson!" he yelled at her.

Haruhi dodged his first swing and quickly positioned herself in front of the now mostly set, but still blinding sun. She would be harder to hit now. She dodged two more blind swings as the girls escaped, screaming down to the beech below. She glanced behind the large boy to the trail the three girls had escaped down. Surely the other club member's would be on their way up here soon, she just needed to last a little bit longer.

_Bam!_

The moment of distraction was all the largest thug needed. His fist connected with Haruhi's gut and sent her thudding against a sharp edged rock, cutting her shoulder. "You little punk!" the thug frothed as he advanced again on Haruhi . It did not take her long to recover her wits though, and before the man had gotten across the bluff she was ready. As soon as he was within range, she kicked. Hard, as hard as she possibly could, at his most sensitive of areas.

The man doubled and fell to the ground moaning. His friends quickly grabbed her shoulder's before she too could make a dash for safety. "No one gets away with that!" one screamed at her before punching her hard in her stomach. They hit her a few more times before their leader managed to pull himself to his feet. Haruhi felt sick. Blood dripped from her mouth and she couldn't see straight. The boss grabbed her by her shirt's collar, his comrades immediately releasing her, and lifted her into the air. "You bastard!" he screamed, his face so close to hers that saliva began to plaster it, "You're going to pay for that! How 'bout you take a little dip?" He lifted Haruhi even further into the air and then launched her towards the rocky ocean below.

Haruhi had dreams of flying over the ocean. Her arms would spread out from her sides and she could gaze out over the infinite glistening blue. She treasured those dreams. This was not like her dreams. She fell quickly through the air, moving so quickly she barely had time to get more the a yelp out before hitting the water. The impact of it knocked the breath from her. She gasped for air, only to have her mouth filled with salty water. She didn't swim well in the best of times and right now, with a possible concussion, was definitely not the best of times. She struggled in the water, only managing to get deeper in to the cold depths and suck more water into her now burning throat and lungs. Her vision began to grow dark, and her movements less panicked as she lost control and slipped out of consciousness.

oOo

"Tamaki!" The host club looked up from the guests they were entertaining; this didn't sound like the normal shrieks for Tamaki. Three of their guest came running down from a sandy path, fear etched in their features. Everyone gathered around the breathless trio. "Tamaki, oh Tamaki!" one cried as she collapsed against his chest.

"What wrong my princess? Whatever it is, I shall do all within my power to remove it from you," he answered, cradling her close.

"Tamaki, it's, it's Haruhi," the girl at the prince's chest said. "Some commoners came up and started to harasses us, and he distracted them long enough for us to get away. B-but Tamaki," she began crying, "they started hitting him!"

Kyoya was first to react. Stepping into the middle of the gathering he directed the guests towards the exit from the beach, "Ladies, if you would please head up the beach to the waiting limos, the host club would be very appreciative. I know this is sudden but its for everyone's safety."

Before the girls had made it over the first dune, the host club was already half way up the twisting path to the cliff. They reached the top just in time to see Haruhi being tossed as easily as a boy would throw a stone, over the cliff side into the rocky surf below. "Haruhi!" Tamaki screamed. Without thought he dove off the cliff side after the girl.

"You bastards!"the twins shouted. The thugs turned around just in time to see the host club advancing on them led by the twins, anger fiery in their eyes.

Tamaki hit the ocean with a splash. Immediately he opened his eyes despite the stinging salt, he looked through the ocean around him, seeking his friend. He spotted her about twenty feet below him. A moment later he clutched the girl to him. She was so still. An icy feeling clutched at him. What if he had been to late?

He pushed himself forward in the water, launching himself with all his might towards the glittering surface. He gasped as he reached the cool evening air. Still holding Haruhi, he swam over towards one of the slick ocean rocks. He surface gasping in the cooling evening air. He gently lay Haruhi's still form of the rock's wet surface. With no other option he quickly straddled her began to press gently on her chest. Water gushed out of her mouth with every gentle push, but still she didn't move. "Come on Haruhi, you can do this..." He reached back in his memory his basic CPR training he had received when he had taken a lifeguarding class back in middle school. Gently turning her head so it was facing him, he opened her mouth slightly, took a breath and brought his mouth to hers, and exhaled.

A small sputtering cough escaped her, soon becoming hard and more racking. Her eyes fluttered open. "Sen-senpai?"

"It's alright Haruhi, you're safe now."

oOo

It hadn't taken long for Kyoya's private police force to take away the trespassers. Pulling the twins off them had been another matter. At least Honey and Mori had kept their heads. At any rate they had been taken care of, now all they needed to do was wait for Tamaki to show. They didn't have to wait to long though, a short time after they had made it down to the shore, Tamaki appeared with a weak looking Haruhi in his arms.

"Mori, would you take her?" Tamaki asked as the group gathered around.

"Sure," he reached out and with a gentleness unexpected of his size, lifted Haruhi from Tamaki's arms.

"Did you take care of them Kyoya?" Tamaki asked, his voice much calmer and steadier then normal.

"Yes," Kyoya said as he placed his shirt around the shivering Haruhi, "we took their ID and information. And my family's police took them to the local town's station. I also sent for a doctor. He should be arriving shortly."

"You didn't need to do that, I'm fine," Haruhi protested, attempting to rise from Mori's arms and failing as the giant gently, but firmly, held her still.

"You nearly drowned Haruhi," Kyoya said. "I'd prefer all bases are covered. For insurance reasons of course."

"Of course," Haruhi sighed as she gave up her futile struggle against Mori.

"What were you thinking?" Tamaki interrupted, his voice calm. Kyoya immediately recognized this as a danger signal in his friend. He only assumed a calm tone when he was extremely upset, the rest of the time his roller coaster emotions sent him flying.

"Huh?" Haruhi turned her chocolate-eyed gaze on Tamaki.

"Tell me, have you won any martial arts championships like Honey of Mori? Or maybe taken diving classes?"

Haruhi was looking very confused, "No, we would you ask that?"

"Then what?! What made you think you stood a chance against three boys?" he yelled, grasping her shoulders and looking her in the eyes.

"What did it matter that they were boys? I was there, I had to do something!" Haruhi could be just as stupid as Tamaki at times.

"That's no excuse! We were right there! You could have just called to us! Don't forget that you're a girl!" And now the cracks were showing.

"What does it matter that I'm a girl? I was there, I had to help! Look I'm sorry you had to come and save me senpai, but I don't get why your getting so angry, I didn't hurt any of you. I don't think I did anything wrong!" Was Haruhi really _this_ dense? If she kept this up, Tamaki might have a challenger for the "King of the Idiots" title.

"You don't think so? Fine! If you won't admit you did something wrong, I won't talk to you! Not till you admit that you were wrong!"

Then again maybe not.

oOo

"It's sure gotten nasty out there, it looks like it might rain," Honey stated, staring out over the ocean horizon through one of the Otori family vacation home's dining room window. Behind him stood a large mahogany table, laden with shell fish. Mori had gone off to find Haruhi who had taken a hot shower and changed into warm clothes after her tumble in the ocean.

"It's not just gloomy out there," Kaoru said, watching Tamaki as he grew mushrooms in the corner.  
"It's pretty bad in here too," Hikaru agreed. "Just take a look at the boss."

Kaoru sighed as he pulled a seat up next to the table, "Come on Tamaki, quit moping."

"You shouldn't have started fighting with her in the first place if you're going to act like this," Hikaru agreed as he pulled up a chair beside his twin.

"I'm not moping, I'm making my own dinner," Tamaki stated as he gently cultivated his latest mushroom crop.

"Found her," Mori said as he and Haruhi walked through the large doors into the dinning room. Haruhi looked resplendent. Her short cut hair had dried quickly and shone in the dim evening light. Her normal boy's clothing was replaced with a frilly spaghetti strap summer dress that despite her lacking feminine features, made her look quite striking, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the host club.

"Whoa..." Honey stared at her in open-mouth shock.

"Haruhi where did you get that dress?" Kaoru asked, equally amazed.

Haruhi looked down at her dress disdainfully, "My dad, he must have repacked my bag. He's always buying me this frilly stuff."

"Way to go dad," Hikaru grinned as he admired the girl.

Honey reached out for her hand and began dragging her to the table and the waiting food he and Mori had cooked. "I cooked up all the sea food we got Haru-chan! Now we get to eat it!"

"Wow, Honey-senpai, this looks... amazing!" Haruhi said as Honey dragged them all to their seats.

_Tick tick tick_

The clock ticked inexorably away as the host club sat at the spacious table and the dinner cooled. No one dared reach for the food. Tamaki sat beside Haruhi, neither one of them even glancing at the other, the tension between them causing their fellows to hardly stir in their chairs. Silence filled the room, broken only by the clock's duteous counting of the seconds.

"Well we shouldn't let this food grow cold," Kyoya said, placing his notebook to the side for the time. "I don't know about the rest of you but tepid crab isn't something of which I'm fond." He reached out and pulled a plate of crab towards himself. Glancing at each other, the others followed suit.

It didn't take long for Haruhi to get into the meal. She was soon cracking the legs and quickly devouring the sweet meat. "This crab," she said through a mouthful of the meat, "it tastes _incredible_!"

Tamaki glanced uneasily from beside the mountainous pile of broken crab legs to Haruhi, who was cracking yet another to devour its content, "Don't you think you've had enough? Take a rest from it already!"

Haruhi gave him a side long look, "Excuse me? I thought you weren't talking to me?

He clenched his jaw, "You trying to be funny?"

She simply cracked another crab leg.

He slammed his hand down on the table, pushing himself into a standing position, "Fine! It seems you refuse to admit you were wrong. I don't care!" He began walking off, "Kyoya would you mind showing me to my room?"

Wiping his mouth, Kyoya pushed his plate away and stood. "I'm done anyway, I don't see why not. If you all will excuse me." He led his friend out the hall.

As soon as the door shut behind the two, Haruhi let the crab leg she was attempting to crack fall back to her plate. "You know, maybe he was right..."

"So that's it," the twins chorused.

"You're letting him get to you," Hikaru said.

"It wouldn't hurt you to learn martial arts or something," Kaoru stated.

"But it's not like we're going to force you," Hikaru added.

"But that's not the real issue here," they said.

"Huh?"

The twins sighed. "To be honest," Kaoru began.

"We were all worried about you," Hikaru continued.

"About how recklessly you behaved." Kaoru finished.

"But what do you mean? Why? I didn't hurt you guys or anything."

"That's not true, Haru-chan," Honey interrupted. "I think you should apologize. 'K?" He gave her his sweetest "Boy-Lolita" smile. Haruhi just stared at him in disbelief. "You made us all worry, especially Tama-chan," Honey explained. "You ought to apologize to him the most."

"You were," she hesitated, "worried about me?"

"You're hopeless," the twins sighed.

"I-I had no idea you were all worried." She stared down at her plate. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to worry you all."

Immediately all of them, save Mori, were holding her, "Aw... you're so cute! Apology accepted!"

She groaned.

"Uh, are you all right?" Kaoru asked.

"I- I think I ate to much crab... Excuse me!" She broke from their embrace and dashed for the nearest bathroom.

oOo

Tamaki walked in silence behind Kyoya as he was led down the long carpeted corridor to his room. He hesitated in the doorway, speaking only as Kyoya turned to leave, "Can we talk?"

"I don't see why not," They walked into the spacious room, closing the door behind them. Tamaki flopped down on the bed, his head in his hands. Kyoya leaned against the wall near the window, watching the swollen clouds get ready to burst. Like the angry clouds outside, it wouldn't be long before his friend opened up and let loose a deluge. "Am I being to hard on her Kyoya? I mean-"

"You both are acting rather childish Tamaki." Kyoya interrupted, turning to look at his friend. "However I don't think the silent treatment is either the best nor the most mature way to deal with your current disagreement."

Tamaki sighed and flopped back on the bed, "Then what _should _I do?"

"Have you tried just talking to her?"

Tamaki laid there is silence, whatever response he had forgotten at his friends blunt suggestion.

After a moment, Kyoya stood from his place against the wall and headed towards the door. "It's a thought anyway. Don't stay up to late Tamaki. Oh and you might want to put some aloe or something on that sunburn of yours, it looks like a harsh one."

Kyoya left Tamaki's room and shut the door. He loved Tamaki as a friend, but that young man could be so _dense_. He was still caught up in his perception of the club as some sort of "family". He understood the reasoning behind it, Tamaki's broken childhood must have been hard, but even that can't explain _all_ of the boy's stupidity.

And then there was Haruhi. She was a commoner yes, but she was quite bright. And yet she was proving to be just as much if not more pig headed and stubborn as the Host King himself. Haruhi was an enigma to him. Something he couldn't understand completely. He'd think he'd have her completely understood and then she would go and pull some stunt or say something that to her seemed innocent or nonchalant and all his conceptions went out the window. Just when he thought he may have figured her out this time, she again pulled a crazy feat that completely changed everything. And now she was being just as stubborn and childish as Tamaki. He shook his head. Sand came falling down from his hair. Maybe he'd take a shower before he retired for the night

oOo

Haruhi wiped her mouth off with the fluffy white towel she had found on the counter. She gave an angry look to the toilet that, just a moment ago, she had been offering up half digested food to, "That was a waste of a good meal." She sat the towel back down and wiped the fog that was clouding the mirror from it to look at herself. She looked alright, nothing had been messed up during her worship of the porcelain god. A foul taste had grown in her mouth though. She quickly spotted a bottle of mouth wash and poured some into the cap. After rinsing she looked herself over again.

She knew what she was doing. She was avoiding going out of the bathroom. If she left the bathroom, she'd have to find the rest of the host club and apologize for worrying them. And that would mean facing Tamaki and admitting she was wrong, something she was sure he'd never let her live down. She couldn't hide in the bathroom forever.

She stepped outside and shut the door behind her. She glanced around the room. Nothing looked familiar. "I ran in here so quickly, I don't know where I am now. Why do rich people have to have such big houses..." she complained internally.

"Are you okay?"

She spun around quickly and bowed to where she thought the voice had originated. "I am so sorry sir, I didn't know this room was occupied. "

"Its alright Haruhi, its just me."

She looked up and saw that the voice belonged to Kyoya, he had a towel around his neck and his hair dripped slightly on to it. His glasses were on the bedside table. "Great, I just had to run into his room," she moaned to herself.

oOo

Kyoya watched Haruhi carefully. She had run into his room's bathroom just after he had began to get dressed after his shower, she should have listened about eating to much crab. Tamaki wasn't always wrong.

"Kyoya-senpai, I-I want to apologize to you, causing you all to worry. I didn't mean to," she said, her face turning a rosy color with her growing embarrassment.

He smiled slightly to himself, she still didn't get it entirely. At least she was mature enough to recognize half of her mistake. But he had a feeling the others had at least something to do with her seeing that much of it. Maybe he could help her see the rest...

"Thank you for apologizing but I can't say that I was particularly worried," he lied, ends justify the means. "However pulling the twins off those punks wasn't exactly easy," not that he had really tried, "and I did have to send each of the guests a bouquet of flowers, they came here to enjoy their weekend we have to ensure they do."

She looked up at him, sincerity in her eyes, "Ill pay you back for them, I promise."

"They were 50,000 yen a piece, that comes to a grand total of 600,00 yen."

She winced at hearing the total cost of her escapade, but set her jar and looked him straight in the eyes again, not many could even do that once. "I don't know how or how long it will take, but I will."

Such determination. He smiled. Gently placing his hand on the light dimmer that luckily just happened to be right over her shoulder. "If you want Haruhi," he carefully brought the switch down, making the already dim room almost completely dark."

"Why did you turn the lights off senpai?" her eyes had taken on a guarded look.

He smiled softly, "You could always pay me back with your body."

oOo

Haruhi's eyes widened in shock. Had Kyoya really just said that? She was suddenly very aware of the their extremely close proximity. She began to step back from him, hoping to be able make a quick escape to the door. Before she could take more than a step though, Kyoya had grabbed her wrist and with a force she hadn't expected in the lithe man, practically threw her on the bed. Less than a second later he was laying over her, his hands pinning her wrists down. He leaned towards her, his breath warm against the sensitive skin of her neck, and sending shivers down her spine with every wetly whispered word.

"Surely you can't be so naive as to think a person's sex doesn't matter. You're so vulnerable to me now. It wouldn't take me anything to drive myself into you right now, and there is nothing you could do to stop me."

oOo

He stared down at the girl pinned beneath him. her face was to the side and her gaze turned from him. He half expected her to scream. He didn't intend to do anything to her, just show her her vulnerability, show her she needed to be able to protect herself. Show her that...

She turned and looked at him. Her eyes didn't have the scared or even unsure look that he expected. Instead there was trust. Trust. "You won't do it senpai," she stated.

He assumed his carefully crafted blank expression. She just looked up at him with those wide, soulful eyes.

"You would have nothing to gain by it," she said, her voice hardly more than a whisper.

He stared at her. Did she really believe that? Did she honestly believe she was so worthless? He continued to stare down at her, and she up at him, still trusting. She looked so beautiful. All the host club knew she was, how was it she didn't see it?

He was getting angry now. He wasn't sure why either and it was disturbing him. This girl, this commoner, knew him so well, and yet couldn't see herself? She was always changing, eluding his understanding, and yet she knew him so well. He had built up so many facades, he had tried to hide himself in a labyrinth, but she saw through it. Yet he couldn't understand her at all. He couldn't explain. why he was so drawn to this puzzle. She was mystery. A soft smile graced his face.

"Do you really value yourself so little as to believe that taking you wouldn't be a gain?"

A slight disturbed look flashed across her delicate porcelain features.

His smile grew. He brought his face closer to hers, slightly pleased by the now unsteady pattern of her breathing he felt as there faces nearly touched. "Don't you think that any of our friends wouldn't be at least partially jealous to see this? Do you honestly think you are of so little value?"

Her eyes began to change, the peace replaced by uncertainty and the trust with slight apprehension.

He could feel his mind begin to haze over and his heart pound in his chest. Something was changing as he stared into her eyes. The Shadow King's mind grew clouded as he stared, inches away from the dark chocolate eternity reflecting in Haruhi's eyes.

Slowly he brought his face further down, grazing his lips against the satin rose-petal of hers. Her eyes closed slightly, and he deepened the kiss, letting his lips softly blend with hers. Slowly, ever so gently, she began to return the kiss. Her hands, still held beneath his, managed to slide down and her fingers twined with his. He had no idea what or how this was happening. All he knew was this Mystery was beneath him, and kissing him back. he fearfully pressed his lips a bit harder on to hers.

And then the door swung open.

"Kyoya do you have any lotion or something? This sunburn is worse than-" Tamaki froze, taking in the scene. "You bastard!"

Kyoya would have to deal with him later for stopping this.

oOo

Haruhi quickly paced down the halls of Ouran Academy. It had been several weeks since the incident at the beach house, and Kyoya had hardly said a word to her after. At first she had been angry at him. What in the world had possessed him to kiss her? Why would he even want to do such a thing? The more she thought of that night, the feeling of his lips and equally unsteady breathing, the more her anger was replaced with curiosity. She had to know why he kissed her. And today she was going to find out.

She reached the large doors of music room three and entered. It didn't appear as if he had come early as was his habit. Possibly he hadn't been coming early again to avoid her. He seemed to be evading her attempts to speak with her quite well. She could wait though, he'd come in eventually. Hopefully before the others arrived. She sighed and walked towards the changing room. At least she'd have time to study without interruption from the twins for a while.

She entered the changing room and had just sat down her books when she saw him. He sat at one of the tables near the window, typing away at his laptop. "Kyoya!" she exclaimed, startled.

"Haruhi," he replied evenly. "You're here early."

"I, uh, wanted to, uh, talk to you." She suddenly felt extremely nervous and self-conscious.

"Oh?" he said, never glancing away from his screen.

"Yeah, um..."

"Was there something you'd like to discuss or is it you just wanted to talk about the weather or some such?"

"No, its not that. I wanted to ask you about... something." Why couldn't she just say it? She could feel herself growing red.

"Well when you figure out what this elusive 'something' is that you wish to discuss with me, I'm right here."

She turned away from him. Maybe she could say it if she wasn't looking at him. She bit her lip, maybe not too. Finally, after a few minutes of the ticking clock and the tapping of Kyoya's keystrokes being the only noise in the room, she spoke, "Why did you kiss me Kyoya?"

They typing paused. "I think this is something you ought to decipher on you're own. You've been given ample clues to draw upon. I'll leave the answer to this up to you deductive skills." The typing resumed, maybe it was just her imagination but the keystrokes seemed to reflect a touch of nervousness on his part.

She turned to face him, the anger rising a bit in her. "Why won't you just tell me?"

He glanced up at her fro m over the edge of his glasses, pausing in his typing again. "You may not have noticed Haruhi, but I enjoy a game almost as much as the twins do."

She glared at him. She was about to tell him just what she thought about him and his game at the moment when suddenly a wide smile spread across his face, "Welcome princesses! You're here a bit early but I think we still may be able to accommodate you."

Haruhi sighed. She'd have to work on this after the host club session.

oOo

She walked purposefully down the street. She had come up with three reasons as to why he would kiss her, and today she was going to tell them to him. It had taken her weeks to come up with these, and he hadn't so much as talked to her during all that time. And strangely, that bothered her.

She found she had missed his constant lording of her debt over her to make her do things, she missed those cool explanations as to the other club members' behaviors. She missed him. She had found it hard to think about the reasons because, when her mind would drift, she would find herself thinking about what he had said or done that day. She hated herself for this. She was letting him get into her head.

Well today she was going to get answers. Today she was going to confront him. Today, he would answer for his actions.

oOo

It had been a long day. No, it had been a long month. He had had to avoid Haruhi all of that month. He hadn't been able to speak to her save for a few basic instructions for the cosplay and club actives. He was rather surprised to find how much he really did miss her company. He shook his head. The strong Shadow King brought to distraction because of a commoner girl. His father would be horrified. Or worse, disappointed. All his life he was trying to earn his father's approval, to see him at least smile at him in acknowledgement of something he had done. But he was the third son. He would have to work harder than his brothers had ever worked to get the approval that they were born with. It had been a long seventeen years.

But right now, it was easier to focus on the long day.

One of Haruhi's friends, one of the few she had managed to make that weren't in the club, had handed him a note and told him it was from her. The note had told him that she had "cracked the case", he had smiled at that, she had really gotten into the role, and told him to wait for her after the club closed. She hadn't shown when the club opened, but they hadn't had many customers so he wasn't worried. Much.

He sat at the same table he had been at when he had told Haruhi to figure out his motive for herself. Strangely ironic that now he was waiting for her to deliver her deductions about the whole thing. He wondered what conclusions she had drawn. He didn't even know why he had done it entirely. It would be interesting to learn what they were. Yes, interesting.

She had such affect on him. An irritating affect. She had the uncanny ability to worm her way into his thoughts. Just the other day during Business Management class he found himself thinking about her, wondering what she was doing. Normally he enjoyed this class immensely. But he found, and the teacher noticed to, that his mind just wasn't on that day's studies. So he sat in the chair, in the sun, working away at his laptop.

He had been planning on staying late anyway.

oOo

She stopped in the doorway of music room three. She hadn't meant to, but her legs didn't seem to want to move. She was going to face _him_. She was going to face down Kyoya Otori and make him answer for his actions. And she was scared to death of what he might say. After over a month of going over that night and the days before and later, after studying him, after going through everything she could find out about him, it wasn't much either, she had drawn three possible reasons for what he had done.

Three fates.

She took a deep breath. _Into the lion's dens._

oOo

He glanced up as Haruhi walked quietly into the sunny room. Even in her boy's school uniform she was oddly attractive. Not letting his thoughts register on his features, "Haruhi," he nodded.

"Kyoya."

He typed for a few more minutes.

She sat and stared out the window.

He looked up at her from over his computer screen, "I believe you sent me a note Haruhi? Something about 'cracking the case'."

She stared quietly at her feet, her knees curled up to her chest.

"Haruhi, if you don't have something to say to me I do have other things I must attend to."

"Three reasons," she stated, never looking up from her feet. "I came to three possible reasons."

"Oh?" he said, sitting back in his chair. "Elaborate."

She looked up at him, "You could have been trying to teach me. Show me my vulnerability. This is most likely." She stood up from the window seat. "or you could have been playing games. You yourself said that you enjoy games almost as much as Hikaru and Kaoru, and judging by how well you can evaluate your surroundings and the provable outcome of events you're really good at it. This isn't as likely but still could be."

"And the third?" Kyoya asked, pushing his glasses up.

"The third," Haruhi said, "Is a combination of the two."

They stared at each other, the tick-tick-tick of the clock the only noise besides their breathing.

"Only those three conclusions?" Kyoya asked finally.

"I-" Haruhi hesitated. She looked away from him and back towards the window, not willing to look at him. "I thought of another but I didn't think it was plausible enough to be mentioned."

"And it was...?"

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she did. "Love, Kyoya-senpai."

Silence dominated the room again. She stood with her back to him and her eyes averted, he sat at the table, his eyes locked on the screen of his sleeping computer. Slowly he got up closing the lid of the laptop. He turned his back to her. "Love, Haruhi, is for the poor and the foolish."

He was just out of the doorway when he heard her voice from her place by the window. "Kyoya-senpai?"

He paused.

"I'm poor."

They stood, each with their backs to the other. Slowly, Kyoya turned. He walked carefully back into the changing area, setting his laptop back on the table. He stopped just a few steps behind her. "Haruhi?" he said quietly, his voice hardly more than a whisper.

She turned never lifting her head. He gently reached out, cupping her face. She lifted her eyes and looked into his gray ones. He stared... He knew she was intelligent. He gently brought his forehead to hers, leaned in, and kissed her.

oOo

Hikaru watched from the shadows of a pillar. Neither of the kissing pair had noticed he or his brother hidden in the shadows. He had wondered what could have had the Shadow King so flustered these past few days, and now he knew. "Kaoru?"he whispered.

"I saw," Kaoru responded.

"I'm going to kill him," Hikaru said, clenching his jaw.

"No," Kaoru said smiling... "We can deal this another way. All without getting our hands dirty."

Hikaru looked at him, confused.

Kaoru just smiled. "What do you think 'Daddy" would say if he found out 'Mommy " was putting the moves on his precious daughter?"

* * *

**So yeah. First Ouran fic. Probably going to be a one-shot depending on the response. So if you liked it and want more, review and favorite and I might continue it. Or even if you don't want it continued, feedback is very much appreciated! Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Some things we don't talk about  
Rather do without  
And just hold the smile  
Falling in and out of love  
Ashamed and proud of  
Together all the while**

Kyoya walked down the halls of Ouran academy; the classrooms names flitted by him as he quickly paced his way down the halls. His stride was quick and his mind occupied, so occupied in fact, that he hadn't notice two Hitachiin's sneak up on either side of him.

"Why hello Kyoya-senpai," Hikaru said, placing an arm over the taller boy's shoulder.

"Yeah, hi Senpai," Kaoru said, repeating his brother's gesture.

"Hikaru, Kaoru," he greeted, not even hesitating in his pace. "I assume you to want to speak to me about something?"

"Oh, not really," Kaoru said.

"Just wondering how you're doing." Hikaru continued. "You seem, I don't know..."

"A little stressed maybe?" Kaoru asked.

"Yeah, stressed seems rather accurate. You ought to relax every now and then Senpai, you must work so much." Hikaru said.

"You do need to relax," Kaoru agreed. "Maybe play a little."

"Playing is a good way to relax," Hikaru agreed. "Maybe you ought to find, I dunno, a toy maybe?"

Kyoya stopped in his tracks.

"I think he's already found one, Hikaru," Kaoru said, grinning to his brother at Kyoya's reaction. "But theres a little problem with that one."

"It's already been taken." Hikaru said patting Kyoya's back.

"You can't just take other people's toys Kyoya-senpai," Kaoru said, moving in front of the older boy and giving him a sad look.

"Didn't you learn that back in kindergarten?" Hikaru asked, moving to mirror his brother.

"I assure you, I have no idea what you're talking about," Kyoya stated, staring coldly at the twins.

"We think you do," they said in unison, looking up at him with an evil glint in their golden eyes.

"We have proof too," Hikaru added.

"Oh," Kyoya asked, pushing his glasses up. "You have proof of your fantasies?"

"Can't say this has ever been _my_ fantasy," Kaoru said looking at his phone. "How 'bout you Hikaru?"

"Hasn't been mine," Hikaru said, shaking his head. "At least not with him there," he added, glancing up at Kyoya and grinning.

"Well, it must be _your_ fantasy then Kyoya-senpai," Kaoru said. He turned the screen so Kyoya could see.

"So tell us, Senpai," they said.

"Were you just playing with other people's toys," Hikaru began.

"Or have you gone and tried to steal ours away?" Kaoru grinned.

Kyoya stared at the picture on the screen. He took the phone from him.

"Go ahead and delete it if it makes you feel better," Hikaru said.

"We have it backed up at home, and on several clouds too. Oh and they're encrypted files. You won't be able get rid of all our copies," Kaoru stated, grinning from ear to ear. "Look's like the Shadow King is stuck Hikaru."

"I think you're right Kaoru! Imagine that," Hikaru said, putting his arm over his brother's shoulder and grinning at Kyoya.

_ This complicates things. _Kyoya thought."So you have a picture of my kissing Haruhi," Kyoya said, "what do you plan on doing with it?"

"Oh I don't know..." Kaoru said looking off thoughtfully.

"There is just so much that _could_ be done with it," Hikaru added.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru said, gripping his brother's shoulder as if he was suddenly struck with inspiration. "What do you think would happen if the photo was somehow," his voice turned to a theatrical whisper, "released."

"Why Kaoru, that could be horrible!" He looked away from his twin and turned to look at the still stone-faced Kyoya. "What d'ya think the repercussions of a compromising photo like that being released would be?"  
"What do you two want then? I assume you are after something here." Kyoya asked.

"We want you to share what you've stolen," Hikaru stated blankly.

"Stolen would imply that she was your's to begin with and I believe you'll find that Haruhi is independent from you and quite free to make her own choices in _every_ aspect of her life."

"What would our dear 'father' think of your little budding romance though?" Hikaru smiled.  
"Yes, _'Mother'_," Kaoru said. "What would our poor 'daddy' do?"  
Kyoya pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I don't really care if Tamaki finds out. What your _'father'_, if that the way you insist on phrasing it, thinks of this matters little to me."

"I wonder what your father would think of her though?" Kaoru asked, now looking at the picture on Hikaru's phone.

Kyoya froze, his grip on Kaoru's phone tightening. His face was still expressionless, but audible cracks came from the phone in his hand.

The twins grinned at him. "We better get to class," Kaoru smirked.

"We don't want to miss out," Hikaru agreed.

"Especially when we have such an _independent_ classmate," Kaoru finished. With one last self-satisfied smirk, the twins headed off down the hall to their last classroom, leaving Kyoya standing in the hall with Kaoru's now completely crushed phone in his hand.

oOo

Class seemed to last forever to Haruhi. It wasn't that the class was boring, she rather enjoyed her last class, it was Hikaru and Kaoru's pestering that made it seem so long. It wasn't their normal pestering either, they seemed to be taking extra care to have at least one of them speaking to her and or touching her during the entire class period. They had gotten quite good at teasing her during class over the past few months, the teacher never even noticed anymore; either that or he had given up on trying to stop them. Haruhi guess it was a combination.

She managed to sneak away from them after the class got out though, and she quickly made her way toward music room three. She turned the corner just in time to see Kyoya unlocking the door. She hesitated. They hadn't spoken to each other since they had kissed the night before. She had no idea how to handle a situation like this. Should she just go on as if nothing had happened? She knew for a certainly that she would not, in any way, act like the gushing fangirls that the club often catered to.  
"It's alright you know Haruhi. I won't bite you," Kyoya's voice sounded from the other side of the corner.

Haruhi blushed and came back around, "S-sorry, I -"

"It's fine, come on though," he held the door for her and they walked in.

oOo

He wouldn't tell her they knew. He had decided that almost immediately after having spoken with them. It would only cause her to worry needlessly and her attitude towards them would likely change; and that would be noticed by everyone. She was surprisingly tolerant of the twins' antics, no matter how inappropriate they seemed. A sudden change would be noticed by everyone and while he didn't all together mind his fellows knowing about the kiss he and Haruhi had shared, it wasn't something he entirely _wanted_ them knowing. Not right now anyway. It would be best if she didn't know.

"So how were your classes today?" Kyoya asked as they sat their belongings down in curtained off area the host club used as a make shift office/prep area.

"The usual," Haruhi replied. "Except the twins seemed hard set on not letting me get any work done for our last period. Are we doing any special cosplay today?"

He was going to have to deal with the twins. He was beginning to understand Tamaki's view of them. "It's Friday, we won't be hosting today. Just preparation for next week."

And so it continued, the pair making idle conversation while the rest of the host club came filing in from their various classes; and both carefully avoiding the subject of the night before. Club time went by just as tensioned. Despite the awkwardness he felt between her and himself, none of the other members seemed to notice anything odd about their behavior; which actually surprised him.

The twins had, to his mind at least, seemed to go into overdrive in their teasing and flirting with Haruhi; and she, as always, took in such a nonchalant manner that it set his teeth on edge. And they, without doubt, knew this, and would make a point to have their hands all over her whenever he was near. Until he could find a way to deal with them though, he would have to live with it, but he wouldn't for long, not if he had his way.

Needless to say club time had passed slowly for him.

He typed at his computer, his fingers hitting the keys with a great deal more force then what is strictly speaking necessary. He had had enough of the twins behavior. The door to the music room clicked open and he heard a pair of footsteps entering the vaulted chamber. "I assume you two wish to discuss your previous proposition. I can tell you that I haven't changed my stance," he stated, not bothering to even turn to face the pair.

"We didn't think you would," Hikaru said, leaning against the wall beside his brother. "But we aren't changing ours either."  
"We know you have "Daddy" issues, and we aren't afraid to use this wonderful little bit of blackmail," Kaoru smirked.  
"Besides that," Hikaru continued, "Tono is your best friend. Everyone except himself can tell he is completely infatuated with Haruhi."

"Don't forget all the other issues Boss is coping with, Hikaru," Kaoru interjected.

"Don't you think seeing something like this would annihilate the fragile reality he is surviving in?" Hikaru said sadly.

"Could you really do that to your best friend senpai?" Kaoru asked, "Crush both his coping mechanism _and_ his budding emotions, all in one action?"

Kyoya sat in silence for a moment and then began to shut his computer down. He stood and began walking out the door.

"Silent treatment doesn't become you senpai," Hikaru stated, still smirking his cheshire grin.

Kyoya stopped, never even turning to look at the pair, "You are correct; Tamaki would be destroyed by this, and yes my father would definitely begin to take steps. But these steps would likely not just affect me, but _her_ as well. In case you forgot, the Otori's and the Suoh's are rather close. Knowing my father, Haruhi's future at Ouran academy would be threatened. So ask yourselves: is your narcissism so great, is your egotism and jealousy so large that you can't look beyond your own selfish, petty desires? Before you meddle in matters that are beyond you childish comprehension, I suggest you at least _attempt_ too think of how your actions will affect the people around you; especially Harhui." Without turning to see if his words had affected them, he left the room and continued to his waiting ride.

oOo

Kaoru watched as Kyoya's car left the school grounds. Neither he nor his brother had spoken since their upperclassman had rebuked them. "You know," he said finally, still staring out at the school gates, "maybe he's right. We weren't thinking of how what we did could affect her."

"Yeah?" Hikaru said, angrily turning and looking at his brother. "Well she didn't think of us either, did she?"

"Hikaru..." Kaoru said his eyes widening.

"What? You _like_ seeing her make out with the Shadow King?"

"I never said that Hikaru, I just said that maybe we should think through our next steps a little more. Besides she wasn't making out, it was one kiss."

"This time!" Hikaru shouted. "How many times before? I can't believe you Kaoru, I thought we were together in this!"

"Hikaru calm down. Of course were together, I'm just saying we need to think things through," Kaoru said, placing his hand on his brother's shoulders. "Kyoya-senpai was right. Our plan to show the pictures wouldn't work out for any one. Showing Boss would mean the end of the club and she would definitely find out who had sent it to him, and sending it to Mr. Otori would likely end in Haruhi's expulsion from Ouran Academy. None of those are outcomes that favor us. We have to think things through. And on top of that, Kyoya-senpai is serious about her. He wouldn't have bothered with this otherwise. That means were going against the Shadow King. We need to think every step through before we even attempt to take action. We can't just go on spur of the moment anymore."

Hikaru stared defiantly into his brothers eyes a moment more before sighing and bowing his head. "You're right. I just..."

"I know," Kaoru said, patting his brother's back. "Don't worry. We'll get her away from him. After all," he smiled devilishly at his brother, "two is better than on right?"

oOo

Tamaki sat bolt upright in his bed, "NO HARUHI! IT'S JUST REGULAR TUNA!" He stared around his room for a moment, completely bewildered, before he sighed a flopped back down in bed, closing his eyes in relief. "Just a dream..." he breathed. "Only a dream." He sat up quickly, his face twisting in horror, "b-but what if it was a vision?"

He quickly pulled on his school blazer and ran down the stars, images of his dream flashing through his minds eye. Today he would find out whether his precious daughter really lived in such a horrid destitute state! He was racing down the stairs when he was knocked back a step by an out stretched hand, "Good morning master Tamaki. Anything we can do for you?" said a matriarchal woman.

"Ah, Shima," Tamaki mumbled, still slightly dazed from the blow to his chest. "Bring the car around would you? I have to get to school." He stepped around her and began making his way to the door.

"I'm sorry, master Tamaki," Shima said shaking her head, "But I simply _cannot _allow you to go out dressed like that." Tamaki froze. "After all," Shima continued, "you're still in you house slippers and pajama bottoms. It would be simply disgraceful."

Tamaki bolted to his room and came down a few minutes later, only slightly red in the face. "Alright Shima, now would you please have the car sent down," he said, heading towards the front door and avoiding eye contact. "I'm going to be late for school."

Shima sighed, she had been working with Tamaki since he had come to Japan from France. She had felt for the poor boy. He was hardly more than a child at the time, and yet he had been forced to choose between being with his mother and being able to allow her to get well. A boy should never be without a mother, Shima knew, so she had done her best to take the sweet young boy under her wing. But sometimes, he could be so... dumb. "I will if you so desire, master Tamaki, but it _is_ Sunday and so you don't have to attend school today."

Tamaki blanched, "Well why didn't you just tell me that in the first place?"

Shima sighed. Looking quiet put upon she slowly began speaking, "Master Tamaki, as your maid it is my duty to help you. However I want you to grow up to be a fine gentleman, and part of that is learning to recognize you mistakes." Tamaki began to make strangling noises. Shima gave him a withering stare, "As you seem to suddenly have a quality amount of free time, why don't you and I work on your manners."

"I need a phone!" Tamaki said quickly running from the reaching hands on Shima. A phone was quickly brought to him and he began dial Kyoya's familiar number.

oOo

Kyoya had been up been up since early morning. In truth, he hadn't been sleeping much at all lately. Something had been keeping his mind moving all night.

Someone.

He stared blankly out one of his bedroom windows, his pencil tapping idly on a blank page of his black notebook. She had such a curious habit of occupying his thoughts at every hour of the day and night. _She has many intriguing attributes_, he mused.

His phone buzzed beside him on the desk. A glance told him it was Tamaki. Briefly he wondered if the twins had sent his friend the photo of he and Haruhi's latest kiss, but Kaoru at least seemed to have been affected by what he had said; he should be able to restrain his brother for a short time. He couldn't see Haruhi telling Tamaki much of anything that she didn't want the entire host club knowing, and he certainly hadn't spoken of it to anyone else. Not even his sister. But what could cause him to call him so early? Especially when Tamaki knew that he was in no way a morning person. Shrugging it off the slight paranoia, he picked up his phone.

"Hello Tamaki."

"Kyoya, we need to talk." Tamaki's voice was strained. He was upset about something. He probably just figured out one of the pranks that Kaoru and Hikaru had pulled on him recently.

"Do we now? What about?"

oOo

Haruhi sighed happily, shifting her many bags. _What a great sale. There's nothing better than a Sunday morning farmers' market. Now all I have left is..._ She stopped dead. A crowd had gathered in front of her apartment complex, and between the people she could see rather expensive looking cars. One of the chauffeurs hopped out of the car and hurried to open the door his waiting passenger. Through the crowd, she could just make out a familiar, and most definitely not welcome, shock of brilliant red hair.

"So this is where Haruhi lives," Kaoru stated admiring the complex.

"It's pretty big," his twin said, getting out of their car, "bigger than I thought it'd be."

"Look at all the rooms!" Honey exclaimed, racing up beside them and grasping Hikaru's arm excitedly.

"This is what might be called an aggregate dwelling. Haruhi's home is just one of the many units in the complex," Kyoya stated as he walked up, Tamaki clinging to his arm like a small child its blanket.

"Why Kyoya?" he pleaded piteously. "Why did you have to bring _them_ with us. Especially those two doppelgangers." He glared at Hikaru and Karou.

"We can hear you Boss," Hikaru stated, giving Tamaki a sidelong glare.

"I knew you wouldn't have the courage to come alone, so I thought it would be interesting for us all to come. Strength in numbers and all that. Well, obviously I was wrong. Come alone now everyone. I seemed to have underestimated our esteemed leader," he began ushering the four other members to their vehicles.

"Wait a minuet, I don't plan on leaving!" the twins chorused.

"Stop, don't leave me! I, uh don't want to be alone," Tamaki said, grasping Kyoya's shoulder.

_Great,_ Haruhi thought, _they're all here._ She began to try and weave her way through the rapidly growing crowd. If she was lucky she could end this before it ended up as the headline to the local gossip rag; though with the Host Club she doubted her chances of success.

"Alright men!," Tamaki shouted, demonstrating his extreme capriciousness, "This is just a simple, 'we happened to be in the neighborhood' visit. We are to be polite. We are not here to judge Haruhi or her father's lifestyle. The words, shabby, cramped and run-down, are absolutely forbidden."

"Yes sir!" Honey and the twins shouted, saluting. Sometimes they got way to into Tamaki's act. Kyoya simply shook his head.

Tamaki continued, furthering his act by pacing like a general, "Remember, this is Commoner Area, anything could set off a trap. We are not to do anything that might offend her and cause her to ask us to leave."

"Well it's to late for that Senpai!" Haruhi shouted, finally bursting into the clearing her neighbors had made around the Host Club. She was enraged, just a glance at her features and even Tamaki could see that. Her hands had gone white from her grip on her grocery bags and she was practically shaking. Kyoya could imagine steam drifting off her like in those cartoons you sometimes saw on television, luckily all that rage was directed at the blonde idiot in front of them."Get out of here!"

"Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed, jumping back to the safety of the group, only to be pushed forward. None of them wanted to face the brunt of Haruhi's wrath.

"Nice dress," Hikaru admired. "Love the pink."

"Shut up! Just get the hell out of here!" she screamed, turning on the rest of them.

Tamaki had managed to sneak up behind Kyoya, "My little girl's so mad Mother! She even," he lowered his voice, "_swore_."

"Hey! We came here by invitation!" The twins said, attempting to back away from Haruhi's murder glare.

"Haruhi," a frightened older woman had shakily crossed over to Haruhi and touched her shoulder. She glanced nervously at the Host Club, "Those young men... are they friends of yours? They drive such fancy foreign cars." She grew pale. "They're not Yakuza are they?" she whispered.

"No," Haruhi said dryly, never moving her gaze from them. "And they're leaving, right. now."

"Why _hello_ madam!" Somehow Tamaki had managed to leave Kyoya's shoulder and make it over to the landlady in under a second, and he was in full "Prince" mode. "I'm Suoh Tamaki, I'm one of Haruhi's friends. We were just stopping by for a visit, we're terribly sorry if we caused a scene."

The woman looked at him, utterly confused for a moment, and the gushed usuriously, "Why Haruhi! Your friends are just so adorable!" _And he has her_, Haruhi moaned inwardly. "I'll be by later with some treats for you and your charming friends!' She waved girlishly at Tamaki as she walked off blushing.

Haruhi watched the retreating back of her landlady and then glared at the gathering. They took the message and slowly began to disperse. "Okay," Haruhi said begrudgingly, "here's the deal. You guys come in for just a quick peek, I'm saying like three seconds, and then you _leave. _Got it?"

"Look Haruhi!" Honey bounded up, oblivious, or at least pretending to be, of her displeasure. "I got you _cake_! I know how much you like cake! There's strawberry _and_ chocolate! We should have some!"

She looked down at him. He beamed up at her, radiating pure joy and happiness. She sighed. She could never stay made his loli face. "Fine," she acquiesced, "I'll make some tea or something." They followed her curiously into her house. Each one stared at it in silence, taking in its size.

Hikaru finally broke their dumbstruck silence, "What a hovel." And was promptly hit upside the head and reprimanded by Tamaki. Haruhi just rolled her eyes, sighed, and pushed past them into her kitchen to put her groceries away.

"Wood built, two bedroom, average for a commoner family of two," Kyoya corrected.

Kaoru laughed, "Plus Haruhi is such a pipsqueak, she won't hit her head on the low ceiling!"

"I think its a cute little room!" Honey gushed.

"You guys don't have to struggle to compliment it you know," Haruhi bristled, putting the last of the produce away.

The group carefully made the way to the living room. "It's so cramped," grumbled Kaoru.

"While this is unpleasant gentleman, I believe we have underestimated commoner housing! If you sit gym style, there is plenty of space. Commoners have designed this style especially to conserve space!"

"Look at this place though! There isn't even a fixture for the light!" Hikaru awed.

_Just gotta get through the visit, you knew this was coming eventually Haruhi, _Haruhi told herself. _You can make it through, just a bit longer and then you'll have your weekend back. _"I'm going to make us some tea."

"Why don't you make this?" Hikaru asked, holding up a small paper bag.

"It's African tea that our dad brought us as a souvenir from his trip," Kaoru said.

"Sure I guess," Haruhi said, walking over and taking the bag from him.

"Its served best as a milk tea," Hikaru added.

"I think I can do that..." Haruhi said. _When was the last time I bought milk..._

"You idiot!" Tamaki attempted to whisper. "What do you think you're doing? Don't be so mean to my little girl!"

The twins looked confused, "What do you mean?"

Tamkai glared at them, "Do you really think a commoner such as my Haruhi has any idea how to make a fancy tea like that! Look! She has no idea how to even prepare it!"

Kaoru looked horrified into the kitchen, "She doesn't even have a teapot... She's just to embarrassed to tell us"

"We're so sorry Haruhi," Hikaru groveled. "You don't need to make us that tea, just water would be fine!"

She knew the Host Club members, Tamaki and the twins in particular, knew absolutely nothing about the life the non-aristocracy, but this was just to much. _If I just play along they'll go away sooner. "_I've already made it though."

"Oh, in that case." the twins sat back.

Tamaki breathed a sigh of relief, "We have been saved by commoner wisdom."

"What do you mean Boss?" Kaoru asked.

Tamaki leaned over the coffee table conspiratorially, "Nothing we know in our world is true here."

Haruhi sighed as she began to pour the tea into mugs. She always knew they came from different worlds, personally she believed different planets too.

"We must be careful in our behavior," Tamaki continued, "any off hand remark or action could break Haruhi's heart. That means, in this contest, the first one to embarrass Haruhi loses."

Why was it _always_ a contest with them! _Just go along with it Haruhi, _she told herself._ It will all be over soon enough._

"While your antics are mildly amusing, I do wonder why you feel the need to turn this into a contest."

Her heart leaped in her chest and she could feel her cheeks growing red. Kyoya. She knew he was there all along. He himself had said that he had brought all the club together here, but somehow she hadn't really noticed him in her anger against Tamaki. She glanced at her hand, it was trembling slightly. She balled it and took a deep breath. She couldn't let herself look nervous all of a sudden.

"Okay! Tea's ready!" She turned quickly, nearly sloshing the tea out of the mismatched mugs.

As she sat down Honey opened up the bright box happily, "You pick first Haru-chan!"

She looked at the cakes worriedly, they looked really expensive. "Are you sure Honey-senpai?"

"Yeah, go ahead. We're rich. We eat this kind of stuff all the time," Hikaru said leaning back, and getting promptly elbowed by both his brother and Tamaki.

Ignoring him she pointed at one, "Strawberry I guess then."

"She's so cute..." the three of them sighed.

"Here," Mori's shadow loomed over her. "You like strawberries right? Have mine." He gently began to spoon the fruit on to her plate of cake.

Haruhi smiled up at him, "Thanks Mori-senpai!"

Hikaru hid his face in despair, "Why didn't _I_ think of that?!"

"I should have been sharing strawberries with her all along," Tamaki lamented.

"Why did we let him trick us," Kaoru wailed.

_Do they really think I can't hear them? Ugh...I wish they'd just leave..._ Haruhi thought as she she bit into a strawberry.

oOo

Kyoya watched the trio, mildly amused at their own torment. The twins had seemed to forgotten what had passed between them the other day, at least that was a weight off his mind. Still, he'd have to find a way to deal with them in a more permanent fashion. Unconsciously he began to watch Haruhi as she attempted to eat her cake while Tamaki and the twins irritated her. Their was something about the way her changing motions quickly flickered across her face. And she held her fork so delicately, her bites of the sweet so petite and dainty...

He quickly shook his head and pulled his gaze from her. He glanced at his watch. He had been watching her for the better part of fifteen minutes. It sure hadn't seemed like that.

Honey leaned back and patted his stomach. "All that cake sure whet my appetite," he said smiling meaningfully at Haruhi.

"Yeah," Hikaru nodded. "Isn't it about lunchtime anyway?"

Kyoya could see a chagrined look quickly pass over Haruhi's face as she realized what was about to happen.

"Well whats for lunch?" they all crooned to her.

She pursed her lips. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her get more and more flustered by them. He should help her out, but she looked just so attractive when she got upset like this. She shot him a plaintive look. He chuckled to himself, she just looked so pitiful. "We did stop by unexpectedly so why don't we pay for lunch," he offered. "Why don't you order us some of your favorite sushi or something?"

Her self-reliance seemed to kick in though and she squared her shoulders. "No way. If I let you guys pay for it I'm only going to end up regretting it later."

"Don't worry about it," he said. "We can just pay for it though the profits from the photos of you we auctioned off."

She slumped, "So I'm really paying for it after all..."

"Why don't you make something for us Haru-chan!" Honey exclaimed jumping up.

"Don't ask her that Honey-senapi!" Hikaru asked agitatedly.

_And the three are at it again... _honestly, how could those three really act so ridiculous?

"Well I guess I could do that..." Haruhi said thoughtfully. She glanced over at the groceries that were still sitting on the table. "But I'll have to go shopping again."

"We're coming with you!" The twins chorused, standing up quickly. "We want to see a commoner's supermarket!"

"Me too! Me too!" Honey said jumping up and down.

"I supposed it could be a learning experience," He said.

They all began to file out the door to the twins singsonging "Commoner's supermarket! Commoner's supermarket!" at the top of their lungs.

oOo

It had been a very, very long day. Haruhi sighed as she shifted her groceries from her second trip to the supermarket. She sighed as she looked on ahead to see most of the Host club making a big happy show as they all made their way back to her apartment. She was going to kill someone.

"Sorry about all this," Kyoya said coming up from behind, startling her. "Tamaki was worried about you and to be honest I wanted to come see you myself."

"Why'd you have to bring _ all _ of them though?" she moaned.

He smirked at her and pushed up his glasses, "For Tamaki's sake, allegedly. Besides, I thought it would be entertaining and serve get my mind off of other things."

"Well I'm glad to know my suffering entertains you," she said, rolling her eyes.

He suddenly stepped and dstopped in front of her, causing her to stumble and nearly fall onto him. He cupped her face and smiled down at her, his face dark against the blinding evening sun, "Oh you have no idea how much you entertain Haruhi," he whispered, his voice low and sultry. "I find my mind occupied by you almost every hour of the day and night."

Haruhi blushed furiously and her arms began to shake. She could feel a strange tingling begin to reverberate in her body, spreading out from her chest and making her weak. His face was so very close to hers... "The others..." she whispered but stopped, her voice suddenly disappearing.

"...are up the hill and around the corner." He smirked at her.

His eyes were sharp behind his glasses and his warm breath mingled with hers. "B-but we can't..."

"If you insist," he said, drawing away from her suddenly. Though it _was_ what she had wanted him to do, she suddenly felt... disappointed. The tingling left her slowly as they began walking on once more but left her feeling odd still.

Kyoya smiled from beside her, "I owe you for today though, and I do prefer you being the one in debt."

She stopped dead and tried to glare at him, "Whatever you mean by that..."

He turned to face her, "I simply mean that I'm going to have to repay you somehow." He smiled at her.

Somehow, she didn't feel reassured.

"Are you two going to come up here or not!" Tamaki yelled down, leaning over the landing railing above them.

"We're getting hungry up hear Haruhi! Don't make our guests wait!" He father leaned over beside the blonde.

Kyoya smirked again before turning and heading up the steps.

It was going to be a hard week.

* * *

**Apologies to all who expected an update like megaquickly, this was just fixing some stuff. I'll update soon (soon for me at least). Like usual, reviews and constructive criticism is highly appreciated.**


End file.
